


After Hours

by absolutelyCancerous (cal1brations)



Category: DRAMAtical Murder (Visual Novel), DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types
Genre: Childhood Friends, Gen, Sleepovers, tiny little bffs having a sleepover aaaahh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-08
Updated: 2015-06-08
Packaged: 2018-04-03 10:52:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4098268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cal1brations/pseuds/absolutelyCancerous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aoba and Koujaku have always been best friends, it's their default way of existing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After Hours

It takes a little longer to find Aoba today, because he's not perched on his usual swing or playing in the sandbox.

Today, Aoba's hiding under the jungle gym, stifling cries against his knees as he picks at the grass beneath him, obviously upset. When Koujaku finally spots him, he smiles a little to himself before he walks closer, calling out a gentle, "Aoba?" as he watches Aoba watch him, glassy eyes and quivering lip.

"What are you doing under there?" Koujaku asks, and he's almost got his leg swung out to climb into the little crawlspace beneath the jungle gym that Aoba's sitting in, but Aoba makes a closed-mouth scream at him, upset, so Koujaku stops. He waits, kneeling down a little so he can look at Aoba better, and listens for Aoba to speak.

"...don't wanna..."

"What's that?"

Aoba sniffles wetly, before he bursts out with great upset. "I don't _wanna_ go home with you!" He spits at Koujaku with a sob. "I want _Granny_!"

Koujaku sighs at that, but isn't turned off; Aoba's difficult sometimes, but he's little, he's not even in grade school yet. Koujaku knows he has to be patient with him, so he moves to kneel down on the ground just outside the jungle gym, arms looped in the cold metal bars as he looks to Aoba with a kind smile.

"You don't have to come home with me," Koujaku assures with a little shrug of his shoulders. "We can stay here and play until Granny is done with her work."

Aoba goes quiet, which is usually a good thing-- it usually means Koujaku has made a point Aoba hasn't thought of. So he waits for Aoba to say something, and what he finally gets is another little sniffle as Aoba says in a tiny voice, "I... wanna swing."

Koujaku smiles at that, moving to get up to his feet as he holds his hands out to Aoba through the bars. "C'mon then," he says easily. "Do you want me to push you?"

Aoba lights up at that, and he wipes his runny nose with his jacket sleeve as he teeters up to his feet, toddling to Koujaku and sliding out of the little crawlspace under the jungle gym, nodding at Koujaku once he's beside him. "I wanna go really high!" He tells Koujaku, points a little finger up to the sky to explain; Koujaku dimly notes as he glances up that it's getting dark, but it wouldn't hurt to entertain Aoba for a little bit on the swing set, they'll be safe.

"Let's see if I can help you touch the clouds, Aoba," Koujaku tells him, and Aoba grins, racing over to the swing set. He needs Koujaku's help to get up on the actual swing, and once he's seated, Koujaku begins to push him. Aoba's laughter rings in his ears, far better than his crying from before, and Koujaku makes sure to push Aoba as high as he can.

* * *

 

They play for at least an hour, until it's more or less nighttime. The streetlamps come on with a ' _plink_!' while Koujaku and Aoba are playing in the sandbox together, and Koujaku frowns as he looks around. No signs of Tae anywhere, so she's probably still working.

"Koujaku?" Aoba asks, and Koujaku jerks his gaze from Tae's building to Aoba, smiling at the wide-eyed gaze Aoba gives him.

"When is Granny gonna be done?"

Koujaku has a few options here. He _could_ tell Aoba the truth-- that he has no idea and that they might be sitting out here in the dark for quite some time more. Or, the better thing to do-- tell Aoba some excuse that will dismiss Aoba's reservations about wanting to leave with Koujaku and get him home, so he can be somewhere warm and safe while they wait for Tae to come home instead.

Decision made, Koujaku smacks his forehead, feigning surprise (and making quite the show of it). "I totally _forgot_ , Aoba!" He says, and Aoba's looking at him with amazement, hanging on Koujaku's every word. "Tae-san told Mom she was going to be late-- Mom told me to come get you!" He can’t think of a better excuse, but hey, Koujaku’s mom has just as much authority over Aoba (and Koujaku, by default) as Tae does.

Aoba frowns, brows furrowed. "Granny knew she was gonna be late today?"

Koujaku nods quickly, "Mom is expecting us!" He moves to brush sand off of his kimono, his hands, too, before he reaches for Aoba. "Let's go home, okay? I bet Mom is already done with dinner."

Aoba stands at that, reaching for Koujaku's hand with one of his own to hold, his other hand going to hold his belly through his coat. "My tummy hurts," he mumbles, and Koujaku makes a little hum.

"You're just hungry," he assures, holding Aoba's tiny hand in his own-- his fingers are freezing, and Koujaku hopes his own hand is enough to warm them. "Let's go, Aoba."

Aoba follows him as he begins to walk, trying to hurry but not enough to make Aoba have to run or strain to keep up with him; Koujaku's mother might not be expecting Aoba tonight, but she was expecting Koujaku _hours_ ago. She'll understand when she sees Aoba.

Probably.

The walk isn't too long, but it's dark, and it's a little scary. Koujaku keeps a firm hold on Aoba's hand, looking to him every few moments to make sure Aoba really is right there beside him. At one point, Aoba makes an upset little whimper, clinging to Koujaku's hand.

"Koujaku," he whispers, looking up to him, "It's really dark..."

"Just a little bit more, Aoba," Koujaku tells him gently. "I'm right here-- nothing's going to bother us." He doesn't know that, of course, but he does know he'll do anything to make sure he gets Aoba home safe, so it's kind of true, at least.

When they get home, Koujaku kneels down to help Aoba out of his tiny shoes, setting them in the entryway beside his own zori *. His mother calls out to him, and before Koujaku can say anything, Aoba takes off running to the back of the house and into the kitchen, cheering out a happy, "We're home! We're home!"

"Aoba!" Koujaku sighs, hurrying after him. His mother is giggling at Aoba's excitement as the little boy bounces on the balls of his feet-- Koujaku wonders how Aoba can be so cheery when he was so upset with the mere _idea_ of coming home with Koujaku only a couple hours ago, but he doesn't question it.

"Let me heat up some dinner for you both," Koujaku's mother says, and Aoba cheers a little at the suggestion. Koujaku smiles, ushering to the bathroom with him to wash the dirt and grime off their hands from the playground before they move to the table. Aoba plops down on the floor right up next to Koujaku, flashing him a smile so wide, so bright, Koujaku can't help but laugh a little.

The three of them eat together then. Aoba's little hands aren't the best with his chopsticks, but he refuses the offer of a fork from Koujaku and his mother; Koujaku figures it's because _he's_ using chopsticks, and, not wanting Aoba to go hungry any longer this evening, retrieves forks for both of them to eat with instead. Koujaku's mother asks them about their day, and after Koujaku speaks, Aoba tells her about all the fun they had at the park while they were waiting. His mother gives Koujaku a warm smile, and he shrugs, focusing on his food.

When they're finished, Aoba and Koujaku go up to Koujaku's room. Koujaku has homework, but it's the end of the week, so he can do it tomorrow after he's finished his chores, he figures-- his mother never berates him over it.

Aoba always seems so amazed when he gets to be in Koujaku's room, looking at everything with wide eyes, only touching things very carefully, which he always asks before he does. He ends up sitting on the floor with Koujaku, and they decide to play with some of Koujaku's old dolls; Koujaku really hasn't played with these in years, but Aoba loves Koujaku's toys, and Koujaku likes making Aoba happy, so he puts his all into making sure they're both having fun.

Koujaku's mother comes up later, when Aoba's starting to rub his eyes and seems more interested in Koujaku telling him things about being a big kid, smiling as she looks over both boys before her gaze falls to Koujaku, sweet and loving.

"I just got finished on the phone with Tae-san," she explains to them. "Aoba, you're going to spend the night here with us tonight. Koujaku, would you come help me with the spare futon?"

Aoba's slight drowsiness seems to disappear completely as he jumps up to his feet, cheering about getting to spend the night with Koujaku. Koujaku, admittedly, likes when they have sleepovers, too, and he tries not to get too excited as he gets up and helps his mother with dragging the spare futon into his bedroom, setting it up for Aoba to sleep on, right next to Koujaku's.  Aoba plops down once they're finished making it, and grins, kicking his little legs excitedly.

"Thank you!" He says to Koujaku's mother, who chuckles as she gives them each a kiss on the head. She tells them she'll be in her room if they need anything, and Aoba thanks her over and over until she leaves the room. When they're left alone, Aoba eagerly crawls back to his futon, sitting with Koujaku with a big grin.

"What should we do first?" He asks, and Koujaku laughs, shrugging.

"What do you want to do, Aoba?"

Aoba hums a little, before he flops back, lying down with a little sigh. Koujaku chuckles at the sight, giving Aoba's tummy a little pat as he gets up, grinning at the ticklish giggle he earns from Aoba. "Let's get into pajamas before we lie down in bed, okay?" He explains, and Aoba sits up again, waiting for Koujaku to give him something to wear. Koujaku's much bigger than Aoba, granted, but he doesn't expect Aoba to sleep in his own clothes.

He helps Aoba change into a pair of his older pajamas, buttons them up for him and helps him step into the bottoms. He changes after Aoba's settled, and only then does he flick out the lights, coming to lie down in his futon beside Aoba's.

They're quite for all of a minute or two, before Aoba whispers, "It's... really dark in here, Koujaku," in a tone that makes Koujaku frown, and he quickly sets on a remedy.

He moves to tug Aoba's futon right up against his, nearly overlapping, and pulls their covers to overlap, so he can slide closer to Aoba, reaching for his little hand under the covers and holds it gently, smiling at Aoba in the dark. It's certainly not a nightlight or anything like that, but hopefully it's enough to keep Aoba's fears at bay-- he doesn't want Aoba to be afraid here with him.

"There we go," he murmurs, and the curl of Aoba's fingers around his hand make him smile a bit. He closes his eyes, relaxed, but Aoba's voice brings him back before he can nod off.

"We're always gonna be friends, right, Koujaku?" Aoba asks, almost timid.

Koujaku smiles, humming in agreement. "Yeah, best friends. How come?"

Aoba is quiet for a long time, but the most he does is squeeze Koujaku's hand, making sure he's still there beside him in the darkness of Koujaku's room. Koujaku doesn't pry, since Aoba doesn't want to explain himself, and that's okay. He's probably just still scared of the darkness, and Koujaku turns his head to Aoba to whisper his treasured few words:

"Don't give in, Aoba."

Aoba squeezes his hand again, and this time, Koujaku squeezes back, smiling to himself at Aoba's determination. He'll be fine, Koujaku is sure, and he closes his eyes again this time, much more relaxed, though he's not sure if it's because he's really more relaxed from the conversation, or just because he's tired in general.

"Goodnight, Koujaku," Aoba tells him softly, a little yawn curling his words at the end.

Koujaku grins a little, nestling down a bit more. "Goodnight, Aoba," he murmurs, and he doesn't have the chance to say anything more before he nods off, the weight of Aoba's hand in his own as comfortable as anything.

 

**Author's Note:**

> * Zori = traditional Japanese-style flip flops, more or less-- they're flat sandals, unlike geta. Instead of rubber, they're made from plant fibers and the thong bit is usually some kind of soft material. I figured since Koujaku's family is one of tradition, it made more sense than giving him sneakers or something. Shrug.
> 
> Also, these two are so cute?? They're so cute. I don't even care what route you pick. These two are so precious. The most precious little boys. Oh my fucking god. Please protect them forever.


End file.
